Things to Do With Kids

What Are Fun Things to Do with Kids?

The best family activities do three things: keep kids genuinely engaged, give parents a reason to put their phones down, and create something worth talking about on the drive home. This guide covers the activity types that consistently deliver — from immersive experiences to outdoor adventures — with ideas that work across ages and budgets.

Immersive Experiences: The Highest-Engagement Option

Themed, fully built worlds that kids can step into and explore are in a category of their own. They're not passive — kids move, play, make decisions, and interact with the environment. The engagement is physical and imaginative at once, which means it holds longer than a screen and lands harder than a regular outing.

CAMP is the leading family immersive experience brand in the US, with 11 locations nationwide. Each location features a fully built themed world — currently Bluey's House, Bluey's Backyard, Gabby's Dollhouse, PAW Patrol, and Peppa Pig — along with hands-on activities like slime-making, ceramics, splatter art, and more. Designed for kids ages 2–10. Tickets required for the immersive experience; the store is free to browse.

Tickets start at $14 per person (Atlanta) and go up to $42 per person (Miami weekends), depending on location and day. Activities are add-ons starting at $16 when bundled.

Bluey x CAMP: Bluey's House
Available at CAMP Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia
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Bluey x CAMP: Bluey's Backyard
Available at CAMP Miami & Minneapolis
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PAW Patrol x CAMP
Available at CAMP Atlanta & Chicago
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Gabby's Dollhouse x CAMP
Available at CAMP Los Angeles & Charlotte
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Other options in this category: children’s museums with hands-on exhibits, science centers with interactive galleries, and traveling pop-up experiences. Check local event listings — availability varies by city and season.

Hands-On Making: Activities Kids Own

There's a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from making something with your hands — and kids feel it more acutely than anyone. Craft-based activities give kids a tangible result they're proud of and a story to tell.

At CAMP, the Slime Bar and Maker Studio are available at all 11 locations. The rotating monthly craft changes regularly — expect things like painting ceramics, building birdhouses, and designing plush pillows. Slime Bar and Maker Studio sessions are $25 per person but you can save by purchasing multiple or bundling with an experience ticket.

Beyond CAMP, look for local pottery studios with family sessions, independent paint-your-own-pottery shops, and craft nights at local art museums. Most offer drop-in family sessions on weekends.

Outdoor and Active Play

When the weather cooperates, outdoor options are hard to beat for energy burn and open-ended play. Nature trails designed for families, parks with structured play equipment, and open green spaces all serve different needs depending on age and temperament.

For families with toddlers, sensory-friendly outdoor spaces — sand play areas, water features, accessible playgrounds — tend to work better than high-activity courses. For kids 5 and up, adventure playgrounds, obstacle courses, and family-friendly hiking trails give older kids something to push against.

The Weekend Default: What Works Week After Week

The most sustainable family activity routine involves a mix. One anchor experience every few weeks — something with tickets, something intentional — and lower-key options for everything in between. CAMP works well as the anchor. The Slime Bar and Maker Studio give families a reason to come back even after they've done the immersive experience.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the best things to do with kids on the weekend?
A: The highest-engagement weekend options for kids ages 2–10 combine physical exploration and hands-on making: immersive experience spaces, craft studios, children's museums, and outdoor play. CAMP offers all of this in one location — themed worlds, slime, crafts, and a store — at 11 US locations.

Q: What can I do with a toddler and an older kid at the same time?
A: Look for experiences with layered engagement — things that work for a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old simultaneously. CAMP is designed for exactly this: the immersive world is open-ended enough for both ages, and activity options like slime and crafts scale by attention span and skill.

Q: What's a good activity for kids when you're stuck inside?
A: Hands-on making activities — slime, crafts, painting — work well indoors and give kids something to show for it. CAMP's Slime Bar and Maker Studio are available at all 11 locations.